Author: nina hovnanian

MINIMUM SALARY AT LEAST 75-80 THOUSAND

Country – Wednesday, 14 November 2012, 14:26

Economist Vardan Bostanjyan told Lragir.am that the minimum salary
increase by 2500 AMD will have no positive influence on the life
of people.

According to him, the minimum salary should grow proportionately with
inflation. In other words, the minimum salary should increase each
time prices go up. But it is not enough. The country should ensure
that the minimum salary is equal to the cost of living.

Vardan Bostanjyan calculated that the state will have to raise the
minimum salary to 75-80 thousand for this purpose.

At the same time, he noted that the budget of Armenia is small,
and in 2013 nothing more than what has already been done could be done.

ARMENIAN PREMIER RECEIVES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF URUGUAY ASSEMBLY

tert.am
15.11.12

Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received on Thursday Mr Jorge
Orrico, President of the House of Representatives, Uruguay Assembly,
who is on an official visit to Armenia.

“We are sure that your visit to Armenia will give new impetus to
Armenian-Uruguayan relations,” the Armenian premier said.

Mr Jorge Orrico said that Armenia can serve a link between Uruguay
and the other countries of the region. He pointed out the Armenian
community’s important role in Uruguay’s life and its contribution to
country’s development.

The sides stressed the importance of developing bilateral political,
economic and cultural ties and of implementing joint programs.

Among promising areas of cooperation are banking, information
technologies, jewelry, diamond-cutting, pharmaceutics and tourism.

Armenia’s premier instructed that a meeting of Armenian and Uruguayan
businessmen be organized for them to establish business contacts.

DEFENSE MINISTER SEYRAN OHANYAN VISITS THE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Lilit Muradyan

“Radiolur”
19:02 15.11.2012

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan met with members of the
Scientific Council of the State Pedagogical University on the occasion
of the University’s 90th anniversary.

Speaking at the meeting, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said
“at different periods of history the alumnae of the University have
contributed to the development of the Armenian Army.” He reminded that
the University formed brigades during the liberation war in Artsakh.

The Defense Minister emphasized the importance of cooperation
between the fields of defense and education, which contributes to
the progress of the defense system through the organization of joint
military-patriotic events. Seyran Ohanyan briefed the attendees on
the ongoing reforms in the army.

At the end of the meeting the Defense Minister presented several copies
of the “20-year chronology of the Armenian Army” to the library of the
Pedagogic University. Seyran Ohanyan awarded medals of the Defense
Ministry to representatives of the faculty and presented a memorial
gift to the museum of the University.

Rector of the Yerevan State Pedagogic University Ruben Mirzakhanyan
awarded the Defense Minister with a medal dedicated to the 90th
anniversary of the University.

ARMENIAN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY HAS MURDERED ARMENIAN CHEESE GOVERNMENTAL PROJECT

arminfo
Thursday, November 15, 17:24

Armenia lacks high quality raw materials to export Armenian cheese,
Robert Haroutyunyan, Head of the Armenian Development Agency, said
at today’s press conference.

When replying to the journalists’ remark that milk is the main raw
stuff for cheese production and the milk consumption in the republic
is growing with every passing year, Haroutyunyan said that quantity
does not mean quality. He confessed that only 25 tons of cheese was
exported to Russia within the frames of the Armenian Cheese project
worked out to promote the cheese export, and no cheese is being
exported at the moment.

In the meantime, it was reported that Doustr Marianna LLC ensured the
biggest export of Armenian cheese to Russia in 2011 (20 tons). The
director and sole founder of that company, Tigran Vardanyan, told
ArmInfo that sample lots were delivered, however, cheese transportation
is very expensive and the Armenian product does not stand competition.

To recall, in Sept 2010 the Government of Armenia allocated 7.2
mln AMD for the Armenian Development Agency to provide financial
support to Armenian Cheese CJSC. The latter was registered in late
2009 on a parity basis (Armenian Development Agency (i.e. the state)
and Association of Cheese Makers).

Haroutyunyan recalled that in 2009, when Armenian Cheese CJSC
was being created, the project on promotion of the Armenian cheese
export was estimated at 280 mln AMD. These funds were to be spent on
market research and other measures, however, the Government failed
to allocate that money, as it was afraid that the funds would be
spent ineffectively. Haroutyunyan added that the Agency used only 3
mln AMD of the governmental funds, which were spent on creation and
maintenance of the website and other measures.

ACADEMY OF OPERATIVE STRATEGIC LEVEL TRAINING TO BE FOUNDED IN ARMENIA

18:01, 15 November, 2012

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS: Peoples’ histories are shaped not
only by power, but also by art, literature and culture. As reports
Armenpress this was noted by Seyran Ohanyan during his November 15
visit to State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan. In
addition he highlighted that only the combination of all these factors
might bring to a wise power and the effective defence.

“The centuries-old wisdom of our nation has been invested in our 20
years old army. Our army corresponds to all international standards
and we ought to keep our armor at a high level” noted Ohanyan.

Minister of Defence noted that Armenian Armed Forces have undergone
many reforms in human resources management, armaments, military
equipment and other spheres.

Minister Ohanyan has mentioned the events aimed at the military
education which is much evaluated nowadays in Armenia. According to
him it is preplanned to create strategic-level training center based
on the Institute for National Strategic Studies.

LATVIA’S FM PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

16:04 15.11.2012

The delegation headed by Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars
RinkÄ”viÄ~Ms visited Tstitsernakaberd today to pay tribute to the
memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

The Foreign Minister toured the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute
accompanied by its Director Hayk Demoyan. Edgars RinkÄ”viÄ~Ms left
a note in the Commemoration Book.

“It is important to keep the memory of the victims to prevent the
reoccurrence of similar crimes in the future,” the Foreign Minister
wrote.

FRENCH DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO OPERATE IN ARMENIA- PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, November 15. /ARKA/. The French Development Agency will start
its performance in Armenia, and the state authorities are ready to
support it, Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan said at the meeting
with the representatives of the French business community in Lyon,
according to the President’s office.

“We pin great hopes on the activities of that Agency since we are
aware of its capabilities, since we are aware of the desire of the
French leadership and since we are ready to do our best to make the
Agency’s activities in Armenia a success,” President Sargsyan said.

According to President Sargsyan, the Armenian-French Business Club
has been functioning in Armenia since last year, and yesterday the
President of France Francois Hollande suggested transforming it into
the Trade and Industry Chamber.

“We accept that proposal with great pleasure. The Club provides
professional and information support, organizes regular thematic
roundtables and serves to strengthen the French business community
in Armenia and ensure a greater involvement of the French companies
in the Armenian market.”

Mr. Sargsyan also spoke of recent initiatives and developments
which were of interest for the entrepreneurs of France and Lyon
in particular, implemented reforms, Armenian-French economic ties,
historical trade relations and prospects of deepening these relations.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that if existing Armenian-French potential in
that area is fully and efficiently realized, economic opportunities
of independent Armenia will allow to increase considerably, even
multiply the turnover between the two countries.

In the framework of his official visit to France, President
Serzh Sargsyan on November 13 left for Lyon, which has a large and
well-organized Armenian community, where he met with the Mayor of Lyon,
Senator Gerard Collomb.

The French Development Agency is a financial institution that provides
aid to the developing countries via grants, credits, etc.–0-

KARABAKH APPRECIATES URUGUAY PARLIAMENT LEADER’S VISIT

news.am
November 15, 2012 | 02:21

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), or Artsakh, highly appreciates
speaker Jorge Orrico of the House of Representatives of Uruguay’s
visit to NKR capital Stepanakert, NKR National Assembly Foreign
Affairs Committee Chairman Vahram Atanesyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“I am very impressed by Orrico’s address at the parliament. Uruguay’s
position on the need to settle the conflict through peace talks is
important for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. This is an important
message to Azerbaijan and the international community,” Atanesyan
noted.

At the same time he stressed that Azerbaijan constantly torpedoes the
talks being conducted within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, and
that this should have caused a change in the international community’s
attitude. “[And] We may assess the Uruguay parliament chairman’s
visit as a change in the international community’s attitude,” Vahram
Atanesyan concluded.

REPUBLICAN PARTY MP WANTS TO MOVE AND WORK IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

tert.am
15.11.12

Republican party MP Shushan Petrosyan said she would like to move
to Nagorno Karabakh and work in Shushi but not as Karabakh’s culture
minister.

She has recently returned from Shushi where the Karabakh’s Culture
Ministry moved from capital Stepanakert.

“Shushi’s House of Culture was built with fantastic conception. The
building really had historic value and has been restored becoming the
country’s Culture Ministry. The ministry has been moved to Shushi
as the town has always been a cultural center,” she said speaking
to Tert.am.

To return the previous cultural fame to Shushi the MP suggests
establishment of inter-cultural relations between Armenia and
Karabakh. She said she would like to move to Karabakh and work there
and advised a number of cultural figures move and work in Karabakh. If
not move there for long, at least visit it frequently, the MP said.

“We had much to learn from them. Look how clean is their town, it is
astounding,” she said.

Asked whether she would like to become Karabakh’s culture minister,
the MP said she would only like to be Karabakh citizen, adding that
being an MP is not important for her, it just serves as a means to
do something.

ANGRY PASSENGER DEMANDS MORAL COMPENSATION FROM ARMAVIA

tert.am
15.11.12

Armenia’s national carrier Armavia has offered its passenger Nana
Hovsepyan to spend 3-4 days in Tel Aviv airport until the airline
implements its delayed flight. The company has even refused to
partially compensate the citizen’s expenses of staying there for
additional days.

“I have told them I have worked for a year and left for vacation for
ten days and now you are forcing me to return earlier than I have
planned. I have paid 250,000 drams ($625) for the ticket. I am so
angry that I have to have a rest after my ‘trip’,” the passenger said,
speaking to Tert.am.

Nana Hovsepyan said she bought two-way ticket from Armavia and
departed for Tel Aviv November 1 to spend ten days there and even
before the departure asked the company official about the possibility
of flight’s delay. The company’s official refuted such possibility
saying the flight may be delayed utmost for few hours.

On the sixth day Armavia’s representative phones the passenger saying
the flight has been delayed and she either can return on November
8 or 15. Asked whether in such case the airline is ready to pay the
hotel expenses, the company gave a negative answer.

“They told me I can wait in the airport for four days,” the passenger
said.

Hovsepyan said according to law, the company was to ensure flight
for her, or met the hotel expenses for additional days.

Being forced to return on November 8, instead of 10, Nana applied to
Armavia’s commercial department for full or partial compensation but
the officials said there is no ‘moral compensation’ in Armenia.

“They are saying the flight problem is company’s inner issue and they
cannot reveal it,” the passenger said.

Nana is going to apply to Consumer’s Rights Protection NGO and
to court.

Armavia company representatives promised to comment later.